FAQ on KeySpeak Sapi Voice.

What synthesiser is KeySpeak Sapi Voice?
The KeySpeak Sapi Voice is based on a new generation of the RealSpeak speech products. Portset act as assertive support to ScanSoft who are the owners of the RealSpeak speech voice engines. As a result Portset has access to advance technology products that are not available on general release.

What voice system is KeySpeak Sapi Voice?
The voice system is the RealSpeak V3 engine. This should not be confused to early versions of RealSpeak that have been incorporated in some products for both the visual and non visual market. The KeySpeak Sapi Voice uses the most advance engines available and incorporates it’s own user dictionary support. To understand more about Text to Speech look at our Text to Speech Primer

What is Sapi?
Sapi is a Windows interface which allows applications to output information in spoken form. Applications have to follow the rules of passing information to the Sapi speech engine in accordance to the specification defined by Microsoft. As the Sapi engine acts purely as voicing audio output is the requirement that any application that uses Sapi must use the Sapi interface correctly.

What is the difference between Sapi4 and Sapi5?
Sapi5 is designed for Windows XP operating systems, whereas Sapi4 is suitable for other Windows operating systems. Whilst Sapi5 can be made to work on non XP, Portset are not providing support for Sapi5 on non XP systems.

Why is Sapi slow sometimes?
Sapi is an interface of the Windows operating system. This means that an application first talks to the interface and then the interface talks to the sapi synthesiser. If the synthesiser has to respond to the application then the return route takes the reverse procedure. This introduces delays which can become apparent on simple actions like keystrokes. However in a reading situation such delay are not usually detectable.

Which applications will work with KeySpeak Sapi Voice?
Any application that is SAPI compliant will connect to the KeySpeak Sapi Voice. These include screen readers, text readers and products such as Dragon Dictate and Ominipage 12.

What languages are available?
British English, American English, French, German, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Belgian, Norwegian and Swedish. On special request several additional languages for the FarEast and South American are also available.
SAPI5 is provided only in languages British English, American English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

Which Screen Readers work with Sapi?
From tests conducted by Portset during 2002 the three major screen readers, namely, Window Eyes, Hal and Jaws were able to access KeySpeak Sapi Voice Sapi4. Only Hal could access in addition the KeySpeak Sapi Voice SAPI5 synthesiser. This is a moving situation as screen reader manufacturers add additions and improvements to their products. Whilst both Window Eyes and Hal can automatically detect sapi compliant synthesisers at time of this publication Jaws needs editing of the JFW.INI file manually by the user. Get the Jaws ini file example and notes.

As a Jaws user, what do I have to do?
The Jaws screen reader requires user action to allow sapi voices. Unlike other screen readers, Jaws Version 4.5 does not automatically identify sapi voices. The user must manually modify the JFW.INI file. Get the Jaws information in RTF format

Is KeySpeak Sapi Voice available as a demo?
Portset does not make available demo versions. To produce and provide demo versions of any software incurs cost that have to be recovered and are subsequently added to the cost of the retail product. Demos cannot come free, someone has to pay. Portset always aims to keep it’s product costs at the lowest level and would not wish to make licensed user pay for additional unlicensed users. The quality of language reproduction can be assessed by the audio samples available at the Portset web site as the next item provides.

How do I buy KeySpeak Sapi Voice?
If you are in the UK you may be eligible for VAT exemption, if so download the VAT exemption Order Form. Complete the details, sign it and send it back with your payment. Get the VAT order form in RTF format

How does the license system work?
The KeySpeak Sapi Voice is provided on a CD together with a floppy disk that contains the license for user use. The system is software protected to ensure that illegal coping is prevented. Unlike some software providers who increase the cost of their product to compensate for coping, Portset always aims to keep it’s product prices at the affordable level. To do this it protects its products. A KeySpeak Sapi Voice User will be able to install in a very simple way, You can even chose the drive and folder location. At installation the details of the users computer are taken and a license transferred from the floppy to the machine hard drive. Each user has two licenses, one to use and one as a back up. Some users use both licenses, one for home and the other at work, however it is not allowed to use both licenses at the same time as the user agrees at installation. Recovering a license to transfer to another computer is very easy. Re-install the CD and the user is offered the automatic choice to remove the software and recover the license.

Where can I hear different language examples?
Several sound files of different languages are on the Portset web site. Use the link below to hear the language. If the language sound file is not available please email us with the text you would like to hear. Please note that any text sent for audio production must not be copyright material and has an accompanying English translation.